oleaginous

American  

[oh-lee-aj-uh-nuhs] / ˌoʊ liˈædʒ ə nəs /

adjective

1. having the nature or qualities of oil.

2. containing oil.

3. producing oil.

4. unctuous; fawning; smarmy.

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oleaginous British  

/ ˌəʊlɪˈædʒɪnəs /

adjective

1. resembling or having the properties of oil

2. containing or producing oil

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• oleaginousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of oleaginous

First recorded in 1425–50; Middle English oliaginose, (from Middle French oléagineux), from Latin oleāgineus, oleāginius, oleāginus “pertaining to an olive tree,” derivative of olea “olive, olive tree” ( see origin at olive)

Explanation

If your archenemy remarks on your oleaginous skin, she's not giving you a compliment. She's calling you oily-faced. You can impress your friends by commenting on how disgustingly oleaginous your pizza is, or despair over the oleaginous state of an ocean bay after an oil spill. Either way, you're using a fancy word for greasy or oily. And if you run into a particularly slick car salesman, you can describe him as oleaginous too. The adjective oleaginous comes from the Latin root oleaginus, "of the olive."

Example Sentences

They call him "Irksome Dirksen." "the Wizard of Ooze," "the Liberace of the Senate," and "Oleaginous Ev."

From Time Magazine Archive

Perhaps the most convenient, though not an unexceptionable division, is into the Saccharine, Oleaginous, Albuminous, and Gelatinous groups.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 15, January, 1859 by Various

From certain experiments made by him it appears that the Oleaginous principle is incompatible with Water, and unfavorable to the action of rust.

From Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 26, September 24, 1870 by Various

Oleaginous matter floated on its surface, with which the Indians anointed their heads.

From Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664 by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)

Oleaginous: Transparent and yellow; olive to linseed-oil coloured.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by Eyre, J. W. H. (John William Henry)